Retractable Awning with Automatic Pitching Gable or Arch

ABSTRACT

A retractable awning that transforms automatically into a gable or arch is disclosed. The awning sheet extends using articulated hinged arms. A first end of each articulated arm is hingedly affixed to a stationary surface. The two articulated arms provide vertical support while extending the awning sheet. A swiveling hinge interface connects the ends of the articulated arms and the front support member. The front support member is a flexible spring member and resiliently arches the awning when extending. In another embodiment, the front support member is a left member and right member connected by a hinge and a spring. The spring resiliently urges the left and right member into a gabled configuration, thereby gabling the awning. When retracting the awning, the ends of the front support member and awning sheet are pulled outwards, thereby counteracting the naturally gabled or arched configuration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to the field of retractable awnings andspecifically to a system for automated pitching of the awning totransform into a gable or arch.

2. Background

Retractable awnings are mostly flat and mainly used for sun protectionon office buildings, multi-unit dwellings, single family homes,recreational vehicles, etc. To prevent damage from rain, the awnings areretracted. If not, a water basin can form on the awning sheet. Toalleviate this problem, flat awnings are pitched downwards from a wallor other fixed surface and users may be forced to push up the middle ofthe awning sheet to release the water and/or debris.

Pitching the awning downwards may be permanent and can require amounting height of greater than 15 feet, making it too high to reachwithout a ladder or extension device to assist in pushing up any saggybasin. Other installations requiring a shorter installation height butsimilar pitch, make headroom limited for use. Pitching awnings downwardsare also impractical because they direct all precipitation and residuedown and forward in front of the front bar of the awning possibly over awalk way, thereby impeding egress and ingress.

Pitching is either manual or electric and both ways present problems.Electric problems can prevent any pitching and manual pitch adjustmentgear may be impractical because it can require two people to adjust thepitch. For example, the awning first must be fully extended, thenmultiple steps are required to achieve the desired pitch. One person hasto hold up the front portion of the awning to reduce the load on thepitching gears, and the another person has to insert a hook end of anelongated bar into a hand crank, and manually turn the hand crank in aclockwise or counterclockwise direction to attain the desired pitch.This is impractical for the elderly, or people with limited dexterity orstrength.

An attempt to solve the problem has been made by manually gabling a flatretractable awning into a gabled awning using a joint mechanismrequiring a user to hold a rod or other elongated device and manuallyurge the front portion of the awning upwards after the awning is fullyextended. This is impractical for the following reasons: using a rod orother elongated device to manually urge the front portion of the awningupwards is difficult for some people who cannot lift their arms overtheir head, the resistance of the front portion of the awning may bedifficult for individuals with limited strength or manual dexterity, andif the awning is installed high, a ladder or a very long, heavy rodwould be required to reach the joint mechanism, making transformationdangerous. Additional storage space is also required for the rod orelongated device.

What is needed is a retractable awning that will gable or archautomatically when extending without any user action.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the invention, the problems of transforming a flatawning into a gabled configuration manually are avoided by having thefront edge urge upwards without user action while the awning is beingextended from a building or recreation vehicle.

In one embodiment, a retractable awning apparatus is disclosed where thefront support member is a flexible spring member biased upwards in anaturally arched configuration. This flexible spring member resilientlyurges the front edge of the awning upwards into an arched configurationwhen extending the awning sheet from the roller. As the awning sheet ispulled around the roller when retracting, the articulated arms arepulled towards the frame and the opposable ends of the flexible springmember and awning sheet are pulled outwards, thereby counteracting thenaturally arched configuration of the flexible spring member.

In a second embodiment, a retractable awning apparatus is disclosed witha front support member having a left front member and right front memberconnected by a hinge and a spring. This spring resiliently urges theleft member and right member into a gabled configuration when extendingthe awning sheet from the roller. As the awning sheet is pulled aroundthe roller when retracting, the articulated arms are pulled towards theframe and the left front member and right front member are pulledoutwards at opposable ends, thereby counteracting the naturally gabledconfiguration of the spring, and aligning the left front member and theright front member horizontally.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill inthe art by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a system of the prior art.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a system of a first embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2B is a side view of a system of a first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2C is a front view of a system of a first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a system of a second embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3B is a top view of a system of a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3C is a front view of a spring in a natural configuration.

FIG. 3D is a side view of a spring in a natural configuration.

FIG. 3E is an exploded front view of the spring loaded joint connectingtwo support members in a natural configuration.

FIG. 3F is an exploded front view of the spring and hinge connecting twosupport members in a flattened configuration.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a system of a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a gabled configuration in a third embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view of an arched configuration in a fourth embodimentof the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferredembodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description,the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures.In the preferred embodiments, references made to a gable or arch can beused interchangeably.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art retractable awning 10. FIG.1 shows a flat front bar 11 common to prior art retractable awnings 10When the prior art retractable awning 10 is extended, the awning fabricoften sags in the middle due to the weight of water, etc. creating abasin. These awnings often must be rolled in to prevent them fromcollapsing or a user has to push up the middle of the flexible awningsheet 12 to release the water on the sides or front. Shown in FIG. 1 isa left articulated arm 14, with a left proximal member 16 and leftdistal member 28 connected together by a second left hinge 30 forming aleft joint 32. The left proximal member 16 is connected to the frame 22on the left portion 18 of the frame forming a first left hinge 20. Theright articulated arm 34, with a right proximal member 36 and rightdistal member 42 are connected together by a second right hinge 44forming a right joint 46. The right proximal member 36 is connected tothe frame 22 on the right portion 38 of the frame forming the firstright hinge 40. The articulating arms 34, 14 are connected to the flatfront bar 11 for support and extension. A flexible sheet 12 is attachedto a roller 62 inside a housing 26. The frame 22 is attached behind thehousing 26 to the surface of a wall (shown in FIG. 2B).

FIG. 2A shows the first embodiment of the present invention with aflexible spring member 66. The flexible spring member 66 is sewn intothe flexible sheet 12 and both are connected to the articulated arms 14,34 by a swiveling hinge interface 59. For example, each hinge isconnected to the flexible spring member 66 and swivels on eacharticulated arm 14, 34. (shown in FIG. 2B, 2C). This allows thearticulated arms 14, 34 to extend outwards and the flexible springmember 66 to resiliently urge the flexible sheet 12 upwards into anarched configuration, thereby providing runoff on the sides, as opposedto the front of the awning as in the prior art. As the awning sheet ispulled around the roller 62 when retracting, the articulated arms 14, 34pull opposable ends of the flexible spring member 66 and flexible sheet12 outwards at the swiveling hinge interfaces 59, thereby counteractingthe natural arched configuration of the flexible spring member 66.

FIG. 2B is left side view of the first embodiment of the presentinvention showing the flexible sheet 12. The housing 26 is connected tothe surface of a building 24 and houses a roller 62. The leftarticulated arm 14 is connected to the surface of the building 24 by thefirst left hinge 20. The left proximal member 16 and left distal member28 are connected by the second left hinge 30. The flexible spring member66 is sewn into the flexible sheet 12 and both are shown connected tothe left articulated arm 14 by a swiveling hinge interface 59.

FIG. 2C is the front view of the first embodiment of the presentinvention showing the flexible spring member 66 urged upwards in anatural arched configuration and connected to the left distal member 28and right distal member 42 by the swiveling hinge interfaces 59.

FIG. 3A shows the second embodiment of the present invention with a leftmember 68 and right member 70 connected by a hinge 72 and a spring(shown in FIG. 3E). The left member 68 and right member 70 are eachconnected to the articulated arms 14, 34 by a swiveling hinge interface59. For example, one hinge is connected to the left member 68 and onehinge is connected to the right member 70 and each hinge swivels on theend of each distal member 28, 42 of the articulated arms 14, 34. Whenextending the awning sheet 12 from the roller 62, a spring (shown inFIG. 3E) resiliently urges the front portion of the awning upwards intoa naturally gabled configuration, thereby providing runoff on the sides,as opposed to the front of the awning in the prior art. As the awningsheet 12 is pulled around the roller when retracting, the left distalmember 28 and right distal member 42 articulate towards the wall andpull outwards both outside ends of left front member 68 and right frontmember 70 at the swiveling hinge interfaces 59, thereby counteractingthe spring (shown in FIG. 3F), and aligning the left front member 68 andright front member 70 horizontally.

FIG. 3B shows the top view of the second embodiment of the presentinvention with a spring 74 and the hinge 72 attached to the left member68 and right member 70 in a flattened configuration. FIG. 3C shows thefront view of the spring 74 in a natural configuration. FIG. 3D showsthe side view of the spring 74 in a natural configuration. FIG. 3E showsan exploded front view of the hinge 72 and a spring 74 connecting theleft front member 68 and right front member 70 in a gabledconfiguration. FIG. 3F shows an exploded front view of the spring 74attached to the left member 68 and right member 70 in a flattenedconfiguration.

FIG. 4 shows a front view of the second embodiment of the presentinvention with a left member 68 and right member 70 connected togetherby a hinge 72 in a gabled configuration. The left front member 68 andright front member 70 are connected to the left distal member 28 and theright distal member 42 by the swiveling hinge interfaces 59. Forexample, one hinge is connected to the left member 68 and one hinge isconnected to the right member 70 and each hinge swivels on the ends ofeach distal member 28, 42 allowing the front edge portion of theflexible sheet to gable as it extends.

FIG. 5 shows a front view of an awning in a third embodiment of thepresent invention with the front edge portion of the flexible sheet 54with hinges 72 connecting front support members 48 in a multi-gabledconfiguration. FIG. 6 shows a front view of an awning in a fourthembodiment of the present invention with the front edge portion of theflexible sheet 54 having an arched configuration with a flexible springmember 66 (shown in FIG. 2A). It is anticipated that an awning may bemanufactured with any number of gables.

A retractable awning with an automatic pitching gable/arch configurationhas been shown which serves the purposes sought herein. Modifications,variations, other uses, and applications of the present invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art after considering thespecifications and the drawings which disclose the present invention.Modifications, variations, other uses, and applications not outside thescope and spirit of the present invention are deemed covered by thepresent invention.

Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above suchthat they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially thesame way to achieve substantially the same result. It is believed thatthe apparatus and system of the present invention and many of itsattendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. Itis also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may bemade in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereofwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or withoutsacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein beforedescribed being merely exemplary and an explanatory embodiment thereof.It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and includesuch changes.

1. A retractable awning having an automated pitching gable/arch, theawning comprising: (a) a flexible sheet; (b) a left articulated arm,including a left proximal member connected to a left portion of a frameby a first left hinge, the frame is attached to a surface of a buildingand is located behind a housing, a left distal member, the left proximalmember connected to the left distal member by a second left hinge toform a left joint; (c) a right articulated arm, including a rightproximal member connected to a right portion of the frame by a firstright hinge, the frame is attached to a surface of the building and islocated behind the housing, a right distal member, the right proximalmember connected to the right distal member by a second right hinge toform a right joint; (d) a front support member, having a first endrotatably affixed to an end of the left articulated arm and a second endrotatably affixed to an end of the right articulated arm, a front edgeportion of the flexible sheet is affixed to the front support member bya connector selected from the group consisting of a swiveling hingeinterface and stitching; (e) the housing, having a roller, the proximalportion of the flexible sheet is connected to the roller, a motorcoupled to the roller, the motor extends the flexible sheet when themotor rotates in a first direction and the motor retracts the flexiblesheet when the motor rotates in a second direction.
 2. An awning asdefined in claim 1, wherein the front support member is a flexiblespring member biased upward in an arched configuration.
 3. An awning asdefined in claim 1, wherein the front support member includes a leftfront member and a right front member, the left front member and theright front member are connected by a hinge and a spring, the left frontmember is affixed to the distal portion of the flexible sheet, the rightfront member is affixed to the distal portion of the flexible sheet, thespring is biased upward and urges upwardly the left front member out ofhorizontal alignment with the right front member for a gabledconfiguration.
 4. An awning as defined in claim 2, wherein the flexiblespring member is made of a material selected from the group consistingof wood, metal, and plastic.
 5. A retractable awning system with anautomated pitching gable/arch comprising: (a) a means for extending andretracting a flexible sheet outward from a roller; (b) a resilient meansfor upwardly urging a front edge portion of the flexible sheet when thefront edge portion of the flexible sheet is extending; (c) a means forflattening the front edge portion of the flexible sheet upon retracting;and (d) a means for storing the flexible sheet.
 6. The retractableawning system as defined in claim 5, wherein the means for extending andretracting the flexible sheet is a motor, the motor coupled to theroller, the motor extends the flexible sheet when the motor rotates in afirst direction and the motor retracts the flexible sheet when the motorrotates in a second direction.
 7. The retractable awning system asdefined in claim 5, wherein the resilient means for upwardly urging thefront edge portion of the flexible sheet includes a front supportmember, the front support member is a flexible spring member biased inan upward curve, a left articulated arm, having a left proximal memberconnected to a left portion of a frame by a first left hinge, the frameis attached to a stationary surface behind a housing, a left distalmember, the left proximal member is connected to the left distal memberby a second left hinge to form a left joint, the left distal member isconnected to the flexible spring member by a left swiveling hinge, aright articulated arm, having a right proximal member connected to aright portion of the frame by a first right hinge, a right distalmember, the right proximal member is connected to the right distalmember by a second right hinge to form a right joint, the right distalmember is connected to the flexible spring member by a right swivelinghinge, the flexible sheet extending such that the flexible spring memberupwardly urges the front edge portion of the flexible sheet into anarched configuration.
 8. The retractable awning system as defined inclaim 7, wherein the flexible spring member is made of a materialselected from the group consisting of wood, metal, and plastic.
 9. Theretractable awning system as defined in claim 5, wherein the resilientmeans for upwardly urging the front edge portion of the flexible sheetincludes a left front member and a right front member, the left frontmember and the right front member are connected by a hinge and a spring,the spring is biased upward in a gabled configuration, a leftarticulated arm, having a left proximal member connected to a leftportion of a frame by a first left hinge, the frame is attached to astationary located behind the housing, a left distal member, the leftproximal member is connected to the left distal member by a second lefthinge to form a left joint, the left distal member is connected to theleft front member by a left swiveling hinge, a right articulated arm,having a right proximal member connected to a right portion of the frameby a first right hinge, a right distal member, the right proximal memberis connected to the right distal member by a second right hinge to forma right joint, the right distal member is connected to the right frontmember by a right swiveling hinge, the flexible sheet extending suchthat the spring urges the left front member out of horizontal alignmentwith the right front member, thereby gabling the front edge portion ofthe flexible sheet.
 10. The retractable awning system as defined inclaim 7, wherein the means for flattening includes the flexible sheet,the flexible spring member, the flexible sheet retracting such that whenthe left articulated arm and the right articulated arm are retracted,the ends of the flexible spring member are pulled apart, therebycounteracting the biased upward curve.
 11. The retractable awning systemas defined in claim 9, wherein the means for flattening includes thespring, the awning retracting such that when the flexible sheet iswrapped around the roller, the left distal member and the right distalmember are pulled towards the frame, the left front member and the rightfront member are pulled outwards, thereby counteracting the spring andaligning the left front member and the right front member horizontally.12. The retractable awning system as defined in claim 5, wherein themeans for storing the flexible sheet includes a housing, the housinghaving the roller, the roller rotating such that when the flexible sheetis retracted, the flexible sheet wraps around the roller inside thehousing, the two articulated arms retracting such that when the flexiblesheet is substantially wrapped around the roller, the two articulatedarms close flush with a frame.
 13. A method of protecting an area fromsun and precipitation, the method comprising: providing an awning, theawning comprising: a flexible sheet, a front support member, a frontedge portion of the flexible sheet affixed to the front support member,a frame, a housing, the housing affixed to the frame, a roller, theroller rotatably affixed to the housing, a left articulated arm,including a left proximal member connected to a left portion of theframe by a first left hinge, a left distal member, the left proximalmember connected to the left distal member by a second left hinge toform a left joint, a right articulated arm, including a right proximalmember connected to a right portion of the frame by a first right hinge,the right proximal member connected to the right distal member by asecond right hinge to form a right joint, the front support member isaffixed rotatably to the left distal member and the right distal member;securing the frame to the building; turning the roller in the firstdirection along its axis; responsive to turning, unrolling the flexiblesheet from the roller; responsive to unrolling, extending the leftarticulated arm and the right articulated arm from the frame; responsiveto unrolling, automatically gabling/arching the front support member;retracting the flexible sheet; and, responsive to retracting,counteracting the gabling/arching of the front support member.
 14. Themethod of claim 13, wherein the front support member is affixed to theleft distal member and the right distal member by a left swiveling hingeand a right swiveling hinge.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein thefront support member is a flexible spring member, and whereas the stepof arching is performed by the front support member, the flexible springmember urges the front edge portion of the flexible sheet into an archedconfiguration when the flexible sheet is extended from the housing. 16.The method of claim 13, wherein the front support member comprises aleft front member and a right front member connected by a hinge and aspring, whereas the step of gabling is performed by the front supportmember, the spring urges the left front member and the right frontmember into a gabled configuration, thereby gabling the front edgeportion of the flexible sheet.
 17. The method of claim 13, furthercomprising the step of turning the roller in an opposite direction alongits axis thereby retracting the flexible sheet into the housing.
 18. Themethod of claim 13, further comprising a motor, a shaft of the motorcoupled to the roller.
 19. The method of claim 13, wherein the frontsupport member is a flexible spring member forming a naturally archedconfiguration, and whereas the step of counteracting the arching isperformed by the front support member, the opposable ends of theflexible spring member and the flexible sheet are pulled outwards,thereby counteracting the flexible spring member's naturally archedconfiguration.
 20. The method of claim 13, wherein the front supportmember comprises a left front member and right front member connected bya hinge and a spring, whereas the step of counteracting the gabling isperformed by the front support member, the left front member and theright front member and the flexible sheet are pulled outwards, therebycounteracting a naturally gabled configuration of the spring.